In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry’s public relations office, the ministry said the decision was made due to “activities contrary to international law, particularly the 1961 Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” by the two French embassy employees.
The ministry said several weeks had passed since the disclosure of their unlawful conduct, but no action had been observed from the French government to correct the behavior or guarantee that such conduct would not be repeated.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recognizes these two officials as persona non grata and, accordingly, their entry into Iran will be prohibited,” the statement said.
The decision comes after Iran’s Intelligence Ministry warned France on August 15 against interference in Iran’s internal affairs, saying the two French diplomats had been found at a secret meeting linked to a major case involving foreign infiltration and interference.
The ministry said the diplomats had violated Iranian laws and their diplomatic obligations, adding that documents recovered from the site pointed to a broader project involving infiltration, covert contacts and foreign interference. It accused French officials of attempting to divert attention from the case and warned that Iran would take appropriate action if such activities were repeated.
The Intelligence Ministry said investigations into the case were continuing and that further details would be released later.